Attenuators

[dashizzler]

I want to buy an attenuator and I saw one for sale on CL. It's a Marshall power brake. Good/bad I don't know. But my question is, do attenuators go bad? I've heard of cheap attenuators damaging OT's and what not. Is this true? I don't want to buy a used product and have it cause $300 damage to my head, naw mean? Thanks for any replies.

 

[V-man]

FWIW, I don't attenuate. That said, any used piece of equipment is a roll of the dice in terms of proper function. From what I hear, the PB is a reliable piece of equipment, but not a top choice with the offerings out there today.

 

[metromutt]

The power brake is the best attenuator for a marshall imo especially with non MV amps. I've tried the UA, Hotplate and recently the Rockcrusher and sold them all. At the mo I've got three PB's one with the one wire mod which I think improves the low end.

I have to ad, NO attenuator is going to give realistic 'cranked' tone at bedroom levels but the PB set round noon on it's rotary is a nice amount wiped off the top end to get the power section of the amp cooking and preserve your hearing

Also the PB is a great price compaired to others, so you'll not loose a shed load of money if it doesn't work out for you.

Regarding the damage to transformers, used correctly I'd say no different than the strain of a cranked amp puts on it's self, but set to load (full on) will put a lot more strain on the amp but I've slaved all my amps at one time or another with no damage or even a fuse blow! I think you have to look to how many years marshall sold the PB, would they really keep selling this little black box that was screwing everyone's amps up???

 

[dashizzler]

FWIW, I don't attenuate. That said, any used piece of equipment is a roll of the dice in terms of proper function. From what I hear, the PB is a reliable piece of equipment, but not a top choice with the offerings out there today.

I wouldn't either but I have a neighbor who does not like my amp and yes it's probably too loud, but if he comes over again we're gunna fight. And I also do not want to attenuate. For as much I like the tone I also like the floor to shake under my feet when I play. But to keep the peace I thought a Power Brake might do the trick.

 

[fastpaddy]

I have had a Marshall Power Brake and hated it. As soon as I turned it down my amp became a fuzz box. I have a high opinion of Weber speakers, so I got a Weber Mini Mass attenuator to try. Any attenuator will take the meat out of the sound, but the Weber sounds better than anything else I have tried. I have an Ampeg VT40, a Fender 65 DRRI and a Marshall JTM60 and it has worked well with all of these.

 

[V-man]

I wouldn't either but I have a neighbor who does not like my amp and yes it's probably too loud, but if he comes over again we're gunna fight. And I also do not want to attenuate. For as much I like the tone I also like the floor to shake under my feet when I play. But to keep the peace I thought a Power Brake might do the trick.

Again, I am NOT the authority on attenuation, but from what I have gathered, it doesn't seem like you are likely to solve this particular problem with a PB. Anybody who is getting worked up over the sound enough to come over and give you the impression you guys are going to come to blows is likely to have a problem with anything above bedroom volume. As someone pointed out, the Marshall PB is best to shave off a few decibels so you can go from shake the foundations to "earplugs no longer necessary." That could still be a range that won't satisfy the guy (and further attenuation may sound like bagged ass).

Just food for thought before dropping $300 on a so-called "fix." Also, I would advise not opening the door to someone who appears to want to start a fist-fight. Even with an ass-whopping in your favor, you are likely to lose enough over it in the end that it wasn't worth it in the first place.

 

[LPMarshall hack]

I used a PB for a while and thought it worked great. Then I realized I have a master volume and didn't actually ever need it.

 

[Longer713]

If PB is too expensive everybody can build simple attenuator by few high power resistors. Then we can get around 5W or less from 50W or 100W monster... All power goes to heat, nothing more. No less sound quallity.

 

[dashizzler]

Again, I am NOT the authority on attenuation, but from what I have gathered, it doesn't seem like you are likely to solve this particular problem with a PB. Anybody who is getting worked up over the sound enough to come over and give you the impression you guys are going to come to blows is likely to have a problem with anything above bedroom volume. As someone pointed out, the Marshall PB is best to shave off a few decibels so you can go from shake the foundations to "earplugs no longer necessary." That could still be a range that won't satisfy the guy (and further attenuation may sound like bagged ass)
We're really not going to fight, he's just annoying. Maybe I should just get a smaller practice amp. I just don't want lose tone, but from what I gather, I'm losing tone with attenuation.

 

[dashizzler]

I used a PB for a while and thought it worked great. Then I realized I have a master volume and didn't actually ever need it.

If PB is too expensive everybody can build simple attenuator by few high power resistors. Then we can get around 5W or less from 50W or 100W monster... All power goes to heat, nothing more. No less sound quallity.

I have a MV amp too, I guess I don't need an attenuator either. I just thought it would give me that power give crunch that I like at low-ish volumes.